The Yankees and Tigers play the first game of their three-game series on Monday, June 29.
New York is a -136 moneyline favorite, while Detroit is +113 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under eight runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Yankees vs. Tigers game.
Yankees vs. Tigers prediction, preview
This past weekend was one to forget for New York. It lost all four games to Boston and fell out of the top spot in the AL East and American League. It’s embarrassing from competitive and rivalry standpoints, but it’s not going to cost the team a playoff bid, at least not on its own. The Yankees will bounce back and no better time than the beginning of a six-game home stand. New York hosts the Tigers and Twins in back-to-back series in the Bronx.
Ryan Weathers gets the start for the series opener, which is arguably the worst case scenario for New York. The left-hander has a 3.95 ERA and has been inconsistent throughout the season. He’s allowed one earned run in back-to-back outings, lasting 6.0 and 6.1 innings, but the three starts prior he had six earned, five earned, and five earned again. The good news is that his most recent start was against the Tigers in Detroit.
Casey Mize is Detroit’s starter for Monday, though his recent starts haven’t been as promising as Weathers’ outings. Mize last pitched at home vs. the Yankees, allowing four earned runs and eight hits in 5.2 innings. The start prior was three earned and six hits in 4.2 innings against the Astros. Despite this, he’s been a quality pitcher, posting a 2.95 ERA in 58 innings and 11 starts. It’s the best year of his career (all of which has been with Detroit), improving from a 4.49 ERA in 2024 and 3.87 ERA in 2025.
The Yankees’ lineup is lethal, and that showed in Mize’s last appearance. They lead the league in home runs, are top five in walks, RBI and stolen bases, and are top 10 in runs scored, total bases and OPS. Without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham, there’s less pop in the lineup, but the role players have stepped up outside of the Boston series.
Yankees vs. Tigers Pick, Best Bet
After how the Yankees played over the weekend, it’s understandable to fade them in this series. They disappointed against their rival and don’t even get a day off to reset. Playing at home against an inferior squad is certainly an advantage, but it’s not enough to win the game.
Weathers had a great outing in his last start (against the Tigers) and Mize had a poor start in his last performance (against the Yankees). I think this flip flops on Monday as it’s difficult to repeat against the same pitcher/team in back-to-back starts.
